what i learned today

here's a thread that i will be writeing in alot, seems there is allot for me to learn here at the homestead, funny when i was in the city i felt like a country boy, now out here i realize how much i need to learn.
let's keep this thread open minded i want every one to feel welcome to share no matter how small or seemingly simple, i want no one to feel intimidated by sharing.

i learned today.

1-i should always keep my padlocks covered with leather could't open up the trailer door frozen shut.

2- i watched the snow drifts on the car windshield and learned that the wind blows east to west so i shoveled the driveway to the west so the snow wouldn't blow over where i just shoveled important when the driveway is 250' long and no snow blower.

3 -i learned what a cedar tree looked like, had built with it but never gave it much thought, now i have some in my wood pile and sure smells nice when burning figure to find more on the property and harvest it.

i hope to post lot's on this thread and to learn from you all also.

always be prepared..

I learned what a fuzzstick is and how to make one.
I leaned I don't want to live where wareagle does. Snow already?

I learned that I'm going to read the rest of your posts on "what I learned today."

1.) I learned that when I moved to the remote back country, I was really alone. While it is great, for the most part, there are those times that "cabin fever" sets in. While I do many things, outdoor chores, activities, wildlife sightseeing, etc. on a daily basis, I do wish that I had someone to share the beauty and enjoyment that I have and see in my life everyday. ;)

2.) I learned that there are a great bunch of people on this forum that are very knowledgeable and insightful, and that I enjoy seeing the new questions and comments posted here every time I sign on! :D

what i have come to realize is that it is easy to sit here at the computer and type in always be prepared, but living out here now it can be a true matter of survival, in the city i do not worry about sliding off the road and stranding myself, luckily my wife was with me this morning and i was able to push the van back on the road, then i pointed out the difference between my van and her car, i asked where she would put the sand under her car, my van was under the passanger rear wheel then taught her that her car is front wheel drive so to put under the front wheels, snow plows will not be around my area for a while so it's a snow day, time for me and my dog to go snow shoeing, if i can open the lock to the trailer, let's see what i can learn or observe today.

always be prepared..

You got little snowshoes for the dog? LMAO.

me and the mutt just came back from snowshoeing out back. we have gotten about 18" of snow this week, made for some fun walking, here's what i learned today,

1- the cedar trees i looked up in my book yesterday, i've got lots of them in the bush, the deer tracks let right into the cedar stand, good place to hang out. it felt good to be able to identify the cedar, usually i would have said it's some kind of pine tree or at least an evergreen which it is but now i know which kind.

2- when walking with snow shoes and come across a tree thats down on the path side step over it, makes it easier.


3- mistake i made today, was when i got home i was soaking wet with sweat, even at the slow pace i was walking was not the best idea to heat up that much, now in my mind i think i am only a short distance from the house, but in those shoes i could easily slip and break an ankle or leg then would have to wait for rescue could possibly become hypo thermic when not moving and start to cool down, need to work on that..

always be prepared..

Wareagle. Layers, my friend. Dress in layers that can be removed. Sit down on that tree that's in the path and rest. Explain to the dog what kind of tree you found. Cool down. Oh, yea. Avoid any yellow snow in his vicinity unless you know Bear (that story is never going to die, is it?).

i always dress in layers, just with the wind i left then on, i should have slowed my pace, except that my dog is a real slave driver..

1) The city is just as if not more dangerous than the wilderness because of all the rusles you must follow anywhere you go... otherwise you may get hurt and go to the hospital. In the wilderness you have less dependancy on others to do things correctly so they do not hurt somebody.... you only rely on yourself to make sure you do not get hurt.

2) that i am always dehydrated and i need to drink more water


i recently started studying the clouds and the weather in general, keeping records of every days heat, humidity, cloud cover, cloud type and shape, where he wind is coming from......this is so i do nnot need to read the paper for wht the weather is going to be like in the next few days....you guys and gals whould do this too, that way when you are in the wild you know what the weather will be like in the next two or three days in your area.

very cold night tonight with a bit of wind, started the fire in the wood stove then a couple of minutes later lots of smoke pouring out of the store,didn't warm up the stove pipe, reminded to start the draft by lighting a piece of paper so the smoke would follow the draft..

I learned that my wife thinks I am crazy for all this survival preparedness.....so you all must be crazy too.

Would have been there for ya with that one if I could have been bro, it's a bitter lesson that there's cold air forcing it's way down that chimney. I was in a drill camp years ago and had this geologist who I really didn't like. We had those little black airtight stoves in these really nice log cabins. I used to split a little pile of kindling before I went to bed at night and first thing in the morning I'd spray it with naptha, throw it in the stove, close the damper on the flue and light a piece of paper and drop it in the stove ....whoosh...instant fire, stove would jump. I could see from my cabin window through to his and every morning he'd be standing over that stove with smoke billowing up at him....I never told him. Like I said...really didn't like the guy.

tfisher, I learned that your wife and my wife must be talkin' to each other!...KF71

I learned that if you leave a hose on the water faucet it will freeze even if it has inclusion on it . No hose and all is good

I learned that in tough times you find out quickly who is on "with you". I'm very thankful for my wife and family.

I learned that 20 miles an hour on ice,even with 4x4,is too d**n fast ,thank goodness there isnt any traffic on the road at 3:30 in the morning.:rolleyes:

Yeah, I learned a long time ago that 4X4 doesn't mean much when all four wheels are on ice, or...all for wheels are stuck. You be more careful out there missy:mad:

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Originally Posted by trax

Yeah, I learned a long time ago that 4X4 doesn't mean much when all four wheels are on ice, or...all for wheels are stuck. You be more careful out there missy:mad:

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oh yea I will next time I'm calling in,oh and missy is my sister,LOL my name is Nell;) LMAO!

fine, consider the missy withdrawn Nell 4x4 doesn't mean much when all four wheels are up in the air either...you said yourself nobody out there at 3:30 in the morning...so...please....be careful

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Originally Posted by trax

fine, consider the missy withdrawn Nell 4x4 doesn't mean much when all four wheels are up in the air either...you said yourself nobody out there at 3:30 in the morning...so...please....be careful

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LOL I will trax :D

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Originally Posted by Nativedude

1.) I learned that when I moved to the remote back country, I was really alone. While it is great, for the most part, there are those times that "cabin fever" sets in. While I do many things, outdoor chores, activities, wildlife sightseeing, etc. on a daily basis, I do wish that I had someone to share the beauty and enjoyment that I have and see in my life everyday. ;)

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Nativedude, going for #3 ?????????????????? Defiantly cabin fever has set in. :-)

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Originally Posted by Gray Wolf

Nativedude, going for #3 ?????????????????? Defiantly cabin fever has set in. :-)

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Brave man!:D

i learned that you can still pull the lettuce out of the garden even in december after all this snow, just peel off the outer layers that are frost bit and use the centres, makes a good salad..

kale,collard,and mustard greens are also good from the garden in the winter, WE.Didnt know lettuce would still be growing this time of year though,what kind is it? Still got some green onions going strong out there too.

my father in law is italian he called it something i can't remember i'll see him this week and write it down

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Originally Posted by wareagle69

my father in law is italian he called it something i can't remember i'll see him this week and write it down

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Cool,I love planting stuff that will continue to grow into the winter,fresh is always better than buying at the store.

the wife says it's called radicchio i don't know if that's Italian or English name

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Originally Posted by wareagle69

the wife says it's called radicchio i don't know if that's Italian or English name

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Sounds Italian,but I could be wrong,will have to give it a try and see how well it grows here. Thanks WE.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/artlettuce.html

Today I learned you can make char cloth using a soup can and a vegetable can, thanks to Gray Wolf. I also learned the entire world seems to have stopped carrying wooden strike anywhere matches. Matches for cryin' out loud!

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Originally Posted by Rick

Today I learned you can make char cloth using a soup can and a vegetable can, thanks to Gray Wolf. I also learned the entire world seems to have stopped carrying wooden strike anywhere matches. Matches for cryin' out loud!

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Strike anywhere matches can be found at; Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer (out west), Meijer Thrifty Acres (out east), and a lot of grocery stores.

I buy up 2 or 3 cases of them when I visit my family for the holidays and take them back with me.

As crazy at it sounds, Wally World didn't have them. I hit two grocery stores and no luck. All safety matches. Strike on the box type. I have a couple of other places to try today. I'm sure I'll find them, I just have to keep looking.

Thanks for the info. !

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Originally Posted by Rick

As crazy at it sounds, Wally World didn't have them. I hit two grocery stores and no luck. All safety matches. Strike on the box type. I have a couple of other places to try today. I'm sure I'll find them, I just have to keep looking.

Thanks for the info. !

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If you don't find them let me know as we have a chain store called "Farm King" that sells them for a buck a box. We can figure out a way to get some to you. Nobody else has them around here, go figure.:confused:

I hit Dollar General this morning and I'm going to Farm and Fleet this afternoon. I'm looking for matches and paraffin not the Holy Grail.

i learned that a 250' driveway covered in snow in hard to back out of at 0 dark thirty so i shoveled off a turn around to be able to drive straight out in the dark, mrs wareagle sure likes it..

Wareagle. Son, you started off wrong. You should have complained about your bad back and your lambago, trick knee, and bad ankle. Now you've got the little Mrs. knowin' you can do a good job. She's gonna expect that from now on.

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Originally Posted by Rick

I hit Dollar General this morning and I'm going to Farm and Fleet this afternoon. I'm looking for matches and paraffin not the Holy Grail.

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Farm & Fleet is a lot like Farm King, so you might find the S.A. matches there. Wal-Mart sells parafin with their canning supplies and over in the food section. Ask an Associate.:cool:

I hit Tractor Supply no luck. I went out on the web and it looks like everyone is complaining about not being able to find them. Get this. It turns out some states have outlawed their sale because they are an ingredient in some home made bomb on the internet. Heathens! I sent Blue Diamond (which is now Jarden Home Brands) an email. We'll see what they say. I may have to start stocking up on 'em. I did find a web site for making your own matches, though.

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how20/7...cbccdrcrd.html

Any chemistry majors on here?

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Originally Posted by wareagle69

i learned that a 250' driveway covered in snow in hard to back out of at 0 dark thirty so i shoveled off a turn around to be able to drive straight out in the dark, mrs wareagle sure likes it..

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hit the ditch enough times and it just becomes a way wider driveway. You have to explain to Mrs. Wareagle that the good Lord put it there and come spring He'll take it away again. LOL.